Warm greetings to everyone participating in the
"White House Conference on Teenagers: Raising Responsible and Resourceful
Youth." This conference is in response to the concerns of parents across the
country about the unprecedented challenges that today's teenagers face. We hope
to provide parents with effective strategies they can use to help their
teenagers navigate safely through the difficulties they may encounter during
these pivotal years.

During their teens, young people are gaining the skills and
confidence they will need as adults. At the same time, they may be exposed to
negative influences that present significant risks to their well-being. At this
conference, we will discuss what parents, communities, and young people
themselves can do to ensure that today's teenagers become successful adults. A
portion of the program will be broadcast via satellite, presenting an
extraordinary opportunity for communities across the country to participate in
our discussion and benefit from the views of the nation's foremost experts on
healthy youth development.

We are pleased to welcome you to the White House, and we hope
that this conference will help to ensure that the young people of today -- the
most diverse group of teenagers in our nation's history -- will also be the
most successful.